Violette

Violette

Photographed at Tango au lac du Paty, France

I danced tango for twelve years as a man. But for the last two or three years, I have danced as a woman. At first, I just put on heels. It was a big step for me. It was right here, at this milonga, that I did it for the very first time. After that I started daring to use womens’ clothes at the milonga and later on the street.

I like to say that I am a transvestite when I dress as a man. All my life I felt I was in the wrong body. Now I use women’s clothes more and more. It started with tango. In the beginning, when I showed up at milongas where they knew me as a man, there was some snickering from a few people, but really the community has been very supportive. Still, it’s rare that men will ask me to dance, so often I invite women to dance and have to lead them in heels, which is not easy. But tonight has been a good night because five or six men have asked me to dance, as a woman.